Fund raising event saves Doncaster Youth Jazz Association.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

A fund raising event featuring Groove Armada held at Ronnie Scott's in London raised ?22k thereby staving off the closure of the acclaimed Doncaster Youth Jazz Association.

Julie Allison of Riot Squad Publicity has forwarded us the following story;

PRESS RELEASE

8th February 2012                                                            

Ronnie Scott’s & Groove Armada secure the future of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association,  announces its Director & Founder.

In one of the most extraordinary nights in the club’s history, Ronnie Scott’s are thrilled to announce that the charity event Groove Armada - Once in a Lifetime:  a Turntable history 1995 ? 2011 has raised a staggering £22k for the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association (DYJA).

Under recent government cuts the Association has lost all funding from this year onwards facing closure.  Andy Cato, one half of internationally acclaimed act Groove Armada and a former member of the Association felt so passionately about the Association’s work that he and Ronnie Scott’s presented a special fund-raising event to help secure its future. 

Today, John Ellis, Musical Director and Founder of the DJA announced that the charity fundraiser, which took place last month in Soho’s famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, has secured the future of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association, at least for the time being.  ?Following a year in which we have struggled with substantially reduced funding, and the reality of next month’s total cessation of council support, we now have renewed hope.  Thanks to Andy Cato, his friends and Ronnie Scott’s we are financially solvent for another year at least.  We are now in a better position to plan, develop and to seek additional sustainable funding from other sources.  Andy’s pro-active approach and generosity has strengthened our resolve and given us a lifeline with which to secure the future of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra?.

The evening, described by one guest as a ?party marathon which seemed to run smoothly from one music genre to the other? featured a performance from the DYJA Alumni Octet, acoustic performances from Saint Saviour, Groove Armada and Neneh Cherry, and, with front-of-stage tables removed, an exclusive Groove Armada DJ set that saw a sea of dancing bodies more commonly found in a Hoxton nightclub than the Soho jazz establishment!  Ellis said ?the large enthusiastic participating audience created a special atmosphere in the club. So many of them took the time to talk to us and were incredibly supportive throughout this superb event?

BACKGROUND

Thirty eight years ago, in the middle of a small, poverty stricken South Yorkshire village, music educator and director, John Ellis decided to keep open his classroom on Wednesday nights for any kids who wanted to come and learn to play jazz and blues. 

It was an unlikely project, yet as the years passed, these Wednesday’s nights went on to transform many thousands of people’s lives.  It would become the Doncaster Jazz Association, and within a few years, John had put together a young band of such quality that they were banned from entering the national your music competition because they won it every time!  These youngsters left with a love of music and the confidence that comes with having done something it the highest level.  Many former members took it all the way, you’d find them heading up the BBC Big Band, at Ronnie Scotts, and on stage with Faithless.  From an area of high in unemployment and short of hope, it stands as an example of what’s possible, and how much talent is normally allowed to go to waste.

?Well, if we can save this one, then it will have a direct impact on the lives of thousands, the future of UK music, and it will stand as a an example of what youth is capable of when given a chance?  (Andy Cato).

IAN SAYS;

In these tough financial days for jazz it’s good to reproduce a good news story. As ever jazz will survive but the attitude of the political and artistic establishment towards the music, particularly with regard to funding, is often reprehensible. The government could draw some lessons from the jazz and wider music community. We really are “all in this together”.